40+9+6+2+101+7+5=Hole-in-ONE

That's right, in my very short golfing career (playing maybe a couple dozen times in my life) I hit my first (yes that's right - giving myself the opportunity for more) Hole-In-One!!! I was in Orlando for a business trip.

It was FREEZING in Fl while we were there and I didn't pack for cold weather. I luckily grabbed a fleece as I was headed out the door to the airport. It was inauguration day (I remember - I was quite sad ;) and I had had a few cocktails the night before so I wasn't in tip-top shape. We decided to play golf at the hotel's course in the frigid 40 deg weather. Just a quick 9 holes after some meetings and lunch. I reluctantly played instead of napping. We were on the 6th hole and it was very windy. The guys teed off and said to club up 2 because of all the wind. The other girl and I decided to just to club up one because it wasn't as windy from the forward tees. We were below the elevation of the green so we couldn't exactly see the hole. It was 101 yards so I grabbed the 7 iron out my rental bag (Taylor Maids) after watching Kara place her ball so nicely onto the green. I took a couple practice swings and swoosh . . . I watched as my ball approached the pin and then I lost it. I figured it had gone over the green - a little too much muscle. Everyone started saying they heard it hit the pin and then it disapeared - they thought it went in. We were playing with a 5-some (so I have 4 witnesses!). We heard some people clapping from their balconies. I still didn't believe it as you'll notice from the photos - I have my pitching wedge and my putter. Sure enough, there was my cute Titleist 1 Disney ball right in that hole!!! I felt like a superstar. After much celebration and watching everyone else putt, we got in our carts and Stu wittily asked"Jacque - what did you get on that hole?"

"ONE!" I shouted.

Watch out, Tiger, here I come . . .

Muffin Man

This cracks me up. On Wednesdays, Mari takes the kids to story time at the library. One of the stories was about the Muffin Man and they do crafts, songs, etc around the story. Marek was riding his big wheel around the house one night while I was making dinner and he suddenly needed to ask me a question right to my face. I crouched down to his levle and he looked at me with his very serious eyes and asked me if I knew the Muffin Man. I replied back, just as seriously, "you mean the one who lives on Drury Lane?". He smiled and said "umm hmm" and sped off on his big wheel (actually Madelyn's Barbie Big Wheel). That kid makes my heart hurt. Although I wasn't able to catch the original Muffin Man question on video - I was able to get him asking his auntie Kelly.

Great Nana

She really is a GREAT Nana!

Again - Madelyn getting in as much snuggle time with Great Nana as possible while she's in town.

We brought the banana bread and it was a hit!

Banana Bread

My little princess got this adorable apron from the Posts for Christmas and she loves to wear it any chance she gets. She loves to help me bake and cook and I love the company in the kitchen.

I have an old recipe from my mom given to her from her mother for homemade banana bread. It's always such a treat!

Momma's big helper mixing up the banana bread . . .

I love creating traditions like this with my princess and the bread turned out great!

The "Kelly Show" at The Grapevine Opry

Kelly is a Hall of Famer at the Grapevine Opry House. About once a year they do a "Kelly" show where the second half of the night is all Kelly. It was a great show and Great Nana Bracci was in town to see!

Madelyn just loves Great Nana and was all snuggled up in her lap at the show . . .

Cowboy/Cowgirl Day at School

I love all the fun things they do at preschool to keep it interesting for the kids. Today was "Cowboy/Cowgirl" day complete with pony rides and a petting zoo brought to the shool!

Art Work

Madelyn has always been such a prolific little artist. I love seeing all of her creations on all different mediums and believe me, she makes a lot of artwork. It's always a tough decision for me to decide what to keep and what to throw. I feel emotionally attached to everything they create!

Marek, well, he's got other skills!

Spaghetti Face Kisses

I don't care - I'll take kisses anyway I can get them!

Happy New Year!!

So we spent New Years Eve with the Whisenants! Mari spent the night at a friends house so Kelly, Jason and the kids had a place to stay. They came over Wednesday night (NYE) and we all had dinner, the kids played, we bathed them and put them down.

As the boys put the kids to bed, Kelly and I set up the Hold 'em table! We played poker and watched the ball drop. Just before the ball dropped we were all joking about NYE a few years ago in which we were all together. We were laughing that we missed the actual ball dropping because we had paused the TV earlier in the evening and forgot to catch back up to "live" viewing. Well, I got up to get another marg and looked at my Blackberry. Internal monologue: "Hmmmmm - why does my BB say 12:21 am when the ball hasn't dropped yet. Oh well, must be a problem with the BBs - there's always something wrong." We went on to play and watch the ball drop, kisses and congratulations all around the table. Then it hit me. I grabbed the remote and looked at where we were - 30 some odd minutes behind live tv. We had done it again!! I bet this happens a lot now that you can pause live tv but we all laughed that it happened to us TWICE and that we had even talked about it not 45 minutes before. Here is what happened: We had paused the tv earlier to get the kids ready for bed - it must have taken us over half an hour because that is all TW cable gives us before turning back on. The TV just came back on to play automatically and no one remembered.

I love technology. :)

The next morning - playing games and watching the parade. . .

We took the kids outside to play golf in the back yard. Dziadek had given Madelyn some new clubs for Christmas so we wanted to test them out . . .

Not so bad - not the best form but she made contact!

Daddy giving Mads some lessons . . .

Check out Landon's FORM! Still looking down at the ball, weight forward, ball is out in front . . .

Another angle, different shot. Same thing. . .

Seriously, he's not even 4 years old yet! Looks like we got another Tiger Woods, ya'll!!

Jason giving Madelyn some pointers . . .

Great coaching, Jason! Now Mads needs to work on keeping her head down . . .

Madelyn collapsing after all that exhausting golf!

The next few shots are her posing for the camera - she is such a little superstar . . .

Cover of Children's Golf Digest . . .

The "looking off into the distance" pose . . .

We had so much fun and I love sitting down on New Year's Day reminiscing about the year past and all that happend and imagining the New Year ahead. 2008 really did speed by us but I pray that 2009 is another wonderful year for everyone!

Happy, Happy New Year!